[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5437-H5439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HERBERT A LITTLETON POSTAL STATION
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2162) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 123 11th Avenue South in
[[Page H5438]]
Nampa, Idaho, as the ``Herbert A. Littleton Postal Station''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2162
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. HERBERT A LITTLETON POSTAL STATION.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 123 11th Avenue South in Nampa, Idaho,
shall be known and designated as the ``Herbert A Littleton
Postal Station''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Herbert A Littleton Postal Station''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Fortenberry) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
{time} 1630
General Leave
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over
the United States Postal Service, I am pleased to present H.R. 2162 for
consideration. This legislation will designate the United States postal
facility located at 123 11th Avenue South in Nampa, Idaho, as the
Herbert A Littleton Postal Station.
Introduced by my colleague, Representative Walter Minnick, on April
29, 2009, and reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform
Committee on May 6, 2009, by unanimous consent, H.R. 2162 enjoys the
support of both members of the Idaho House delegation.
Marine Private First Class Herbert A Littleton was born on July 1,
1930, in Mena, Arkansas, to his loving parents, Paul and Maude
Littleton. He attended high school in Sturgis, South Dakota, where he
played both football and basketball and was subsequently employed by
the Electrical Appliance Corporation in Rapid City, South Dakota.
On July 29, 1948, Private First Class Littleton enlisted in the
United States Marine Corps at the age of 18. He completed boot camp in
San Diego, California, before receiving additional training at nearby
Camp Pendleton, which was then responsible for training the country's
fighting force for the Korean War.
Private First Class Littleton was deployed to Korea in December of
1950, bravely serving with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Artillery
Forward Observation Team, Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. His
distinguished service and tremendous bravery during the conflict
quickly earned him the admiration of his comrades and eventually
resulted in his posthumous receipt of the Medal of Honor, the United
States military's highest decoration. Private First Class Littleton
also posthumously received the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal
with one bronze star, and the United Nations Service Medal.
As recounted by the citation accompanying Private First Class
Littleton's Congressional Medal of Honor, the young soldier exhibited
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and above
and beyond the call of duty, in action against enemy aggressor forces
on April 22, 1951, in Chungchon, Korea.
Specifically, in response to a violent night attack against his
company, Private First Class Littleton quickly alerted his forward
observation team and immediately moved into an advantageous position in
order to assist in calling down artillery fire on the hostile force.
Shortly after the arrival of other team members, an enemy hand grenade
was thrown into PFC Littleton's vantage point. Without hesitation, the
21-year-old private sacrificed his life by hurling himself on the
grenade and absorbing its full impact. PFC Littleton's Medal of Honor
citation goes on to recognize that through his prompt action, he not
only saved the other members of his team from serious injury or death,
but also enabled them to carry on their vital mission which resulted in
their ability to resist the hostile attack.
Mr. Speaker, Private First Class Littleton's dedicated service is a
testament to all of the brave men and women in the United States Armed
Forces who have offered this Nation the ultimate sacrifice. It is for
this reason that the community of Nampa, Idaho, Private First Class
Littleton's residence at the time of his death, marks every April 22 by
holding a flag ceremony at the city's Herbert A Littleton flag pole in
remembrance of his brave act. And it is for this reason that the city
of Nampa has also named the road adjacent to PFC Littleton's grave in
his honor.
Mr. Speaker, let us further this brave soldier's remembrance by
passing this legislation to rename the Nampa postal facility after him.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2162.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise in strong support of H.R. 2162, a bill
designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at
123 11th Avenue in Nampa, Idaho, as the Herbert A Littleton Postal
Station.
Mr. Speaker, many of my words here will repeat the commemoration the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) just gave, but I think it is
worth repeating because today we are honoring a man who paid the
ultimate sacrifice on behalf of his fellow soldiers and on behalf of a
grateful Nation.
Herbert Littleton was a private first class in the U.S. Marine Corps
Reserve, Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He
was born in 1930 in Mena, Arkansas, and attended high school in
Sturgis, South Dakota, where he played basketball and football. He
enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on July 29, 1948.
Upon joining the Marines, he trained in San Diego and at Camp
Pendleton before he was shipped out to Korea on December 17, 1950,
fighting in South and Central Korean operations.
Serving as a radio operator with an artillery forward observation
team, he was in action against enemy aggressor forces. Private First
Class Littleton was standing watch when a well-concealed and
numerically superior enemy force launched a violent night attack from
nearby positions against his company. He quickly alerted the forward
observation team and immediately moved into an advantageous position to
assist in calling down artillery fire onto the hostile force.
It was during this fierce battle that an enemy hand grenade was
thrown into his vantage point shortly after the arrival of the
remainder of his fellow soldiers. As Mr. Lynch pointed out, Private
First Class Littleton unhesitatingly hurled himself on the grenade,
absorbing its full, shattering, and explosive impact. Because of his
quick action and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, he saved the other
members of his team from serious injury or death and enabled them to
carry on the vital mission which culminated in the repulse of that
hostile attack. His unflinching valor in the face of almost certain
death reflects the highest credit upon Private First Class Littleton
and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his
country.
In addition to being awarded the Medal of Honor for ``conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the
call of duty,'' Private First Class Littleton was awarded the Purple
Heart, Korean Service Medal with one bronze star, and the United
Nations Service Medal.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill in which a
grateful Nation honors a man who courageously traded his life for the
lives of his fellow soldiers and in service to our country.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time to close.
Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I do want to say on behalf of Walter Minnick,
who is the lead sponsor of this resolution who is flying in right now
and did not have an opportunity to speak on
[[Page H5439]]
the floor, on his behalf I ask all Members to join with us. It is
fitting, I think, that in this month of May, which marks Military
Appreciation Month, let us join together once again to show our
appreciation for all men and women in uniform by voting in favor of
this resolution which would name this post office in memory of Private
First Class Herbert A Littleton and pass H.R. 2162.
Mr. MINNICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask our nation to honor the
ultimate sacrifice made by Idahoan and American hero Herbert A.
Littleton. I offer today H.R. 2162, a bill to rename Littleton's
hometown post office in his honor. Private First Class Littleton, or
``Herbie'', as he was known by his fellow soldiers, was killed in Korea
on April 22, 1951, when he hurled himself without hesitation on a
deadly grenade, absorbing its full impact and thereby saving the lives
of his fellow soldiers.
Littleton's actions enabled them to carry out their vital mission and
repel an enemy attack. For that act, Littleton was posthumously awarded
the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman. It is my hope that my
colleagues will support today H.R. 2162 and the efforts of my
constituents to remember Private First Class Herbert A. Littleton and
all those heroes who serve our nation in uniform.
Mr. LYNCH. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2162.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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